Caerau/Blaencaerau

 My new all encompassing 2 - 1 km square walk took me four hours and produced a decent 36 species of hoverfly. New for the year were Dasysyrphus tricinctus, Eupeodes corollae, Xanthogramma pedissequum, Cheilosia lasiopa, Neoascia tenur, Volucella pellucens and Microdon myrmicae agg. Good numbers are staring to now emerge and a few species have quite high totals like Cheilosia  albitarsis (53), Melongaster hirtella (62), Sphegina sibirica (30) and Xylota segnis (50). Numbers will start to increase for other species rapidly in the next few weeks if the weather holds. But this year there seems to be a lack of Eupeodes about after last year good showing.

Longhorn beetles are starting to emerge, 2 species today and also the first Small Copper butterfly of the year was seen. Garden Chafer and Thick-knee beetles are becoming common as are the moths Burnet Companion and Common Heath.

All the summer breeding birds have returned with good numbers of Willow Warbler, Chiffchaff and Blackcap present, supplemented by singing singles of Cuckoo and Grasshopper Warbler. 1 nest of House Martin so far located in the streets and Swifts are building up, but there seems a severe lack of Swallows about. 

Dasysyrphus tricinctus

Eristalis horticola

Cheilosia illustrata

Volucella pellucens

Microdon myrmicae agg.

Xylota jakutorum

Pachytodes cerambyciformis

Rhagium bifasciatum

Burnet companion

caterpillar - either 5- or 6-spot Burnet (not hairy enough for narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet)

***** post edit - It is hairy enough and has been accepted as a Narrow-bordered 5-spot Burnet by the county recorder ***

Finally on a lighter note, some member of the public has been sticking up plastic butterflies in the trees around the C.O.P. First one I noticed had my heart miss a beat or two until my brain caught up with the rest of my body.